Work in Progress

An Animated Life with David Habchy

All images courtesy of David Habchy

 I just realised I never posted on my blog the David Habchy interview I made in May this year for Dia magazine. So here it is:

Born in Beirut, DAVID HABCHY is an illustrator and animator with a different aesthetic. With a great balance of technical training to base his creativity on, David is one of those artists that captures your interest with just one look at his work. We were lucky enough to be able to interview David and see what the difference is between Lebanon and the United Kingdom, what his new collaborations are, and what other illustrators catch his eye.


“When I grow up, I want to be…” Did you always want to become an illustrator and animator?
I never thought of what I wanted to be when I was young.  My only interest was to live every moment and tell it over and over again, until I discovered a visual approach of expression; illustration and animation.
How did your time at university go?
The major I chose “Computer Graphics and Animation” was relatively new; and somehow risky.  I spent most of my university years in the drawing studio and art courses I was not enrolled in.  In a way, I created a program of my own.

Read the full article here.

University of East London's School of Visual Arts graduate show 2010

Installation by Marta Pibernat

Last June was a big night!  My students in the 3rd year BA Illustration were showing their work and I was eager to show my support. Several of my coleagues were also exhibiting for their doctorate and I was not gonna miss this as I was very curious to see what they had been up to during the year in their private practice!

The crowd came in force to visit the school

The dean bids farewell to the 2010 alumni

For educators and students alike who are part of the School of Visual Arts, the opening night matters on so many levels. This is the time of the year where one gets to appreciate all the hard work in situ.And it was very gratifying to see Marta's 3D drawing taking shape and finally looking so good on the night! Definitely a success!

The Dean distributing prizes to the most deserving 2010 graduates many of whom were from the Fine Arts department

My students had been very ambitious in their final displays so much so that my little camera struggled to capture the surreal atmosphere and viual mood of  Emanuella's poetic installation! I have since invested in a much needed upgrade, thank you!

Emanuela Allegra's installation photograped without flash

And with flash! The screen at the back played her lovely whimsical animations!

Illustrations courtesy of Eve Lacy

Illustrator Jade barchelor's exhibition space

 

Visitors at the fine arts displays

Particularly worthy of note were the fashion textiles of which I took no pictures, sniff! But below is a number of fine art installations and prints, etc... that caught my eye. Enjoy!

There was beer, there was bbq and music; the mood was to party and I very graciously gave in to numerous requests for photocalls! When it came to the end of the night and as I was heading back home, I couldn't help but feel very proud and reminisce as to where this particular batch od kids are heading. All the hard work was not in vain and we all have been at this place where anything is possible and everything is yet to be achieved! How exciting!  Good luck to the illustration class of 2010! 

My students April May Choon, Rasheed Kayode Bushura and Cherish york

Mill 24 part 1 - All the Hard Work Before the Night

Above, Mill 24 handbook and map handed out at reception in a little goodie bag.

Over 2 weeks ago, I travelled up North to paint two big murals for Mill 24, a 24 hour week-end exhibtion full of up and coming artists art, videos and performances at the 5 storey Islington Mill in Manchester. I post here some photos of the event with a proper write-up of my experiences to come next !

All photographs courtesy of Valerie Pezeron.

When I arrived earlier in the week prior to the event, I had already figured I would give myself two days to do each mural. I knew I was being given the main bar/dancefloor walls to play with, but I was quite impressed to see how big that space was! So I took photos to give a 180 degree impression of the room.

 That's one of my walls before I started anything.

That's the 1st sketch up before painting begins. That was rather a challenge working on that scale!

 There is one shot missing as I forgot to take picture of the stage area though. But the here is half of the bar...
I painted the first mural all by myself the first two days and then went back to London to teach at uni on the Friday. That schedule was tough so I enrolled my boyfriend as artist assistant for the week-end- I assumed that years of modelmaking was training enough and, boy, was I right, he was of tremendous help! We travelled again to Manchester on the bus for 5 hours in order to paint during Mill 24 on Saturday and Sunday.

The Mill 24 crew of curators sorting out their handprinted labour of love. Womnderful people, I tell thee- I'm moving to Manchester at once!

The McWhippy van and crew having a well deserved rest after a not so smooth ride on that thing all the way from London. Very resourcefull folks, for sure!

The courtyard at Mill 24 before the crowd invades the premises and the fun begins.

My day at Print Club London

All photographs courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Yesterday, I headed to the Print Club in Dalston, North London for a proper induction into the techniques of waterbased screenprinting. I was really excited at the prospect of spending a whole day in the company of like-minded people and getting my hands dirty! Last time I did any proper printmaking was back at university where I had played with etchings, monotypes and woodcut.  

This time around I thought I would try something new and also test wether the book I am currently working on titled "Written by Men, Blame it on God" would look good screenprinted. Besides planned publication by The Rationalist Association, I am considering doing a small handmade and screenprinted limited edition for sale to various outlets and also for exhibiting.
I found the induction challenging as there was so much to learn! The tutors were patient, very helpful and entertaining and the facilities more than adequate. Attending the induction was a diverse mix of individuals with a painter, a former advertising executive now turned construction worker, art and design students and a newly made redundant fashion employee.Yep, the recession is still biting and we're all feeling it.

Getting my hands on the final output was very rewarding and my final prints did not look too bad albeit with a few minor imperfections. I left with my head full of data and plans as the day answered many of my questions but also raised new ones!

Later on, I walked around the area to explore what Dalston has to offer and I discovered a really good and well-stocked art shop with very competitive prices named Jacksons on Farleigh road past Princess May tube station.
I can't wait to go back to Print Club and do more, more, more! Now I'm gonna buy a stiff enveloppe so I may send one print to my editor as a peace offering- I'm VERY late on that book!

A French West-Indian Woman in London

English version above

Episode 1 of my Adventures in London. Sometimes, I feel like an alien in this big city, sometimes things are the most peculiar, odd or fantastic and worth writing about. I especially like to expose people's bigotry or quirks and those short chronicles are social commentaries and ethnographic observations, except the natives under the microscope are not some far away tribe but you and I!



















French version above

Episode 2 coming soon

The Pope Song I Adore

Courtesy of Tim Minchin and Fraser Davidson
Written & Performed by Tim Minchin. Directed and Animated by Fraser Davidson

Now as some of you might know by now, religion is a big topic of mine (see here for my upcoming graphic novel) and one chosen not by predilection but out of sore life experiences;  I always like a good piss take when it comes to my religion of birth Catholicism! I think the big hatted holy men have earned a good satire and this one is just spot on! Well done to Minchin and Davidson, song has never been so well used!

Lyrics go as follows:

Lyrics:
Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the motherfucker,
Fuck the motherfucker hes a fucking motherfucker.
Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the fucking fucker,
Fuck the motherfucker hes a total fucking fucker
Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the motherfucker,
Fuck the mother fucker, fuck him, fuck the motherfucker.
Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the motherfucking pope.

Fuck the motherfucker, and fuck you motherfucker
If you think that motherfucker is sacred.
If you cover for another motherfucker whos a kiddy-fucker,
Fuck you, youre no better than the motherfucking rapist.
And if you dont like the swearing that this motherfucker forced from me
And reckon it shows moral or intellectual paucity
Then fuck you motherfucker, this is language one employs
When one is fucking cross about fuckers fucking boys

I dont give a fuck if calling the pope a motherfucker
Means you unthinkingly brand me an unthinking apostate.
This has nowt to do with other fucking godly motherfuckers
Im not interested right now in fucking scriptural debate.
There are other fucking songs and there are other fucking ways,
Ill be a religious apologist on other fucking days,
But the fact remains if you protect a SINGLE kiddy fucker
Then Pope or Prince or Plumber, youre a fucking mother fucker.

See I dont give a fuck what any other motherfucker
Believes about Jesus and his motherfucking mother.
Ive no problem with the spiritual beliefs of all these fuckers
While those beliefs dont impact on the happiness of others,
But if you build your church on claims of fucking moral authority
And with threats of hell impose it on others in society,
Then you, you motherfuckers, can expect some fucking wrath
When it turns out youve been fucking us in our motherfucking asses.

So fuck the motherfucker, and fuck you motherfucker
If youre still a motherfucking papist.
If he covered for a single motherfucker whos a kiddy-fucker,
Fuck the motherfucker, hes as evil as the rapist.
And if you look into your motherfucking heart and tell me true
If this motherfucking stupid fucking song offended you,
With its filthy fucking language and its fucking direspect,
If it made you feel angry, go ahead and write a letter,
But if you find me more offensive than the fucking possibility
The pope protected priests when they were getting fucking fiddly
Then listen to me motherfucker - this here is a fact,
You are just as morally misguided as that motherfucking,
Power-hungry, self-aggrandized bigot in the stupid fucking hat.